Artificial fuel and process of making same.



UNITED STATES Patented April 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. MEEKER, OF RYE, NEW YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 787,458, dated. April18, 1905.

Application filed September 15, 1904- Serial No. 224,526.

To allwhnm it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. MEEKER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the town of Rye, Westchester county, State of New York,haveinvented a new and useful improvement in Artificial Fuels and theProcess of Making the Same; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to composite or artificial fuel or the making ofbriquets from anthracite or bituminous coal or from lignite or peat.

The object of my invention is to produce a briquet of carbonaceousmatter which will equal in heating effect the best anthracite coal andat the same time kindle more readily and burn freely without smoke, thatwill not disintegrate in the fire while burning and shall be stronglyadherent and hard enough to stand handling and transportation withoutundue loss from abrasion, and, finally, that the briquets shall becommercially waterproofthat is, that they shall stand all exposure toweather without disintegrating or loss of combustible properties.

In carrying my invention into effect I first prepare a paste which is toform the base of the binder. This paste may be made from a number ofmaterials-such as flours from wheat, rye, oats, or any of the cereals,or from glue, dextrin, or casein, or from any combination of them whichwhen heated with water will form a paste or adhesive mass. A paste whichI have used with good results is composed of wheat-flour andhide-glueabout eighteen pounds of flour and three pounds of glue to twohundred and forty pounds of water. the mixture boiled for ten minutes ina steam-jacketed paste-making machine of any of the well-known makes. Tothis paste or base is added and thoroughly incorporated three pounds ofpigment or poW- der having the properties of a paint pigment or filler,such as oxidof iron or black oxid of manganese or lampblaok. Thechemical nature of this filler is not important provided it possessesthat well-recognized character of adds to the strength of the briquet.'ditional advantage of the introduction of the a pigment or paint-fillerwhich when subsequently separated from the liquid or conveyer leaves asurface oflering great resistance to disintegration when exposed. I findthat the pigment or filler used as specified materially An adsubstancewhich 1 have described as a pigment is that by reason of its very finelydivided condition it serves to fill the ultimate voids in the briquets,especially when made from graded particles, as hereinafter described. Ithen prepare ,a mixture of fine anthracite coal of different grades offineness and bituminous dust or slack. The proportions of the variousgrades of the anthracite coal are such as to produce the most compact orsolid massthat is, a mass containing theleast proportion of void or openspaces between particles. These proportions I have found to be asfollows, commencing with the largest particles of coal which are nowrejected as too small for commercial use, such as readily pass through ascreen of four meshes to the square inch: Of this size I use fifty percent. To fill the larger voids of this size, I use about thirty percent. of a size that will just be retained in a screen of twelve meshesto the square inch. To partly fill again the remaining voids, I useabout fifteen per cent. of a size that will just be retained in a screenof thirty meshes to the square inch, and to fill the remaining voids Iuse five per cent. of a size that will pass through a screen of fiftymeshes to the square inch. These are proportions which I have used withvery satisfactory results; but I do not confine myself to these exactproportions, as l have discovered that by varying the proportions oflarge and small particles and very fine material it is possible tocontrol to a considerable extent the rapidity of combustion.

the briquets made with the larger proportion of large particlesconsuming more rapidly under the same conditions. In this manner Iobtain a very solid and dense mass and reduce the Voids to be filled bythe liquid binding material to a minimum.

To the above mixture of coal. before the addition of the agglutinant orbinder. is added and incorporated a finely-powdered gum or pitch, suchas resin or pitch, in the proporl binding and waterproofing qualitiesinsoluble tion of fifty pounds to two thousand pounds L in water andmelting at an easily-attainable of the coal. The essential propertiesofthis ingredient are that it shall not be soluble in water, that it shallnot vaporize. below the evaporating temperature of water, and that itshall vaporize at a readily-attainable temperature above the vaporizingtemperature of Water.

To the coal mixture prepared asabove I now add the binder in theproportion of two hundred and twentyfour pounds of binder to twothousand pounds of coal compound and thoroughly incorporate in asuitable'mcchanical mixing device. The fuel compound prepared as aboveis then formed into briquets by any suitable press giving a pressure ofabout two thousand pounds to the square inch, which will compact themass, eliminating all voids, and bringing the specific gravity of thebriquets almost to that of a solid piece of anthracite coal.

In certain mixtures, particularly where the I fuel contains a proportionof water amounting to about ten per cent, I have been able to cause thebriquets to adhere by compression alone without the use of a binder.When these briquets are heated, as described below, so that the resin isthoroughly diffused through the mass, they are strongly adherent. Thedifficulty has been, however, when the soluble hinder or agglutinant isomitted in handling the briquets after they are taken from the press andwhile putting them into the dry room or kiln, a considerable proportionof them being broken during this handling.

Upon coming from the press the briquets are introduced into a dry-room,where the temperature is gradually raised to about 212 Fahrenheit, orjust high enough to drive off the water used in the hinder or that foundin the coal dust and slack as commercially used. \Vhen all the moisturehas been removed, the temperature is raised to the vaporizing-point ofthe waterproofing gum or pitch which was used, and this ingredient isdiffused through: out the briquet. In the case of resin, which I preferto use, this temperature is about 280 Fahrenheit. After cooling it isfound in a film or coating over the surface of the briquet, rendering itpractically waterproof and weatherproof and greatly increasing itsrcsisting properties.

\Vhen cool, the briquet can be handled and stored the same as anthracitecoal.

I do not restrict my invention to the exact proportions of theingredients named, as they can be varied without departing from thespirit of my invention. A richer paste can be used or a largerproportion of gum or resin to increase the strength and weathcr-resisting properties of the briquet.

By the term resin, and (I fortiorz' by the phrase substance exemplifiedby resin, I include any gum or other material possessing temperature notsubstantially less than that of boiling water.

By the phrase strongly adherent as used in the claims I include anadhesion substantially like that produced by the process abovedescribed, in which the mingled coal particles and resin are aftermolding first heated to a temperature sufiicient to drive ofi the waterand afterward to a temperature at which the resin is melted and diffusedthroughout the mass.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process of making artificial fuel comprising: mixing comminutedfuel with a substance exemplified by resin;' molding the mass intobriquets; artificially heating the briquets to a temperature below themeltingpoint of the resin and for the time required to dry the briquets;and afterward heating the briquets to the temperature required to meltthe resin and holding them at such temperature for the time required todiffuse the resin throughout the briquet.

2. The process of manufacturing artificial fuel comprising: mixingcomminuted fuel with a binder and also with a substance exemplified byresin; molding the mass into briquets; artificially heating the briquetsto a temperature below the melting-point of the resin and for the timerequired to dry the briquets; and afterward heating the briquets to thetemperature required to melt the resin and holding them at suchtemperature for the time required to diffuse the resin throughout thebriquet.

3. The process of manufacturing artificial fuel comprising: mixingcomminuted fuel with a binder containing a pigment and also with asubstance exemplified by resin; molding the mass into briquets;artificially heating the briquets to a temperature below themelting-point of the resin and for the time required to dry thebriquets; and afterward heating the briquets to the temperature requiredto melt the resin and holding them at such temperature for the timerequired to diffuse th resin throughout the briquet.

4. The process of manufacturing artificial fuel comprising: mixingcomminuted fuel with a substance exemplified by resin; molding the massinto briquets; compressing the briquets under a high pressure;artificially heating the briquets to a temperature below themelting-point of the resin and for the time required to dry thebriquets; and afterward heating the briquets to.the temperature requiredto melt the resin and holding them at such temperature for the timerequired to diffuse the resin throughout the briquet.

5. The process of manufacturing artificial fuel comprising: gradingparticles of coal into a plurality of sizes such that when compressedtogether they will form a mass approximately free from voids; mixing thecoal particles with a substance exemplified by resin; molding the massinto briquets; artificially heating the briquets to a temperature belowthe meltingpoint of the resin and for the time required to dry thebriquets; and afterward heating the briquets to the temperature requiredto meltthe resin and holding them at such temperature for the time"required to difiuse the resin throughout the briquet.

6. The process of manufacturing artificial fuel comprising: mixingcomminuted anthracite and bituminous coal with a substance 62(-emplified by resin; moldingthe mass into briquets; artificially heatingthe briquets to a temperature below the melting-point of the resin andfor the time required to dry the briquets; apd afterward heating thebriquets to the temperature required to melt the resin and holding themat such temperature for the time required to diffuse the resinthroughout the briquet.

7. A compressed, strongly-adherent, approximately anhydrous briquet ofartificial fuel consisting of comminuted coal and a substanceexemplified by resin diffused therethrough.

8. A compressed, strongly-adherent, approximately anhydrous briquet ofartificial fuel consisting of comminuted coal, a soluble agglutinant,and a substance exemplified by resin diffused therethrough.

9. A compressed, strongly-adherent, approximately anhydrous briquet ofartificial fuel consisting of comminuted coal, a soluble agglutinant, apigment, and a substance excxemplified by resin diffused therethrough.

10. A compressed, strongly-adherent briquet of artificial fuel ofapproximately maximum density consisting'of comminuted coal, theparticles of which are graded in size, and a, waterproofing materialdifl' used thereth rough.

11. A compressed, strongly-adherent briquet of artificial fuel ofapproximately maximum density consisting of comminuted coal, theparticles of which are graded in size, and a substance exemplified byresin diffused therethrough.

12. A compressed, strongly-adherent briquet of artificial fuel ofapproximately., maximum density consisting of comminuted coal, theparticles of which are graded in size. a soluble agglutinant. andawaterproof coating.

13. A compressed, strongly-adherent briquet of artificial fuelof'approximately maximum density consisting of comminuted coal, theparticles of which are graded in size, a soluble agglutinant, a pigment,and a waterproof coating.

14. The process of making artificial fuel comprising: mixing comminutedfuel with a substance exemplified by resin; molding the emplified byresin; molding the mass into briquets; artificially heating the briquetsto a temperature below the melting-point of the resin and for the timerequired to dry the briquets; and afterward heating thebriquets' to thetemperature required to liquefy and partially vaporize the resin andholding them at such temperature for the time required to diffuse theresin throughout the briquet.

16. The process of manufacturing artificial" fuel comprising: mixingcomminuted fuel with a binder containing a pigment and also with asubstance exemplified by resin; molding the mass into briquets;artificially heating the briquets to a temperature below themelting-point of the resin and for the time required to dry thebriquets; and afterward heating the briquets to the temperature requiredto liquefy and partially vaporize the resin and holding them at suchtemperature for the time required to diffuse the resin throughout thebriquet.

17 The process of manufacturingartificial fuel comprisin g: mixingcomminuted fuel with a substance exemplified by resin; molding the massinto briquets; compressing the briquets under. a high pressure;artificially heating the briquets to a temperature below themelting-point of the resin and for the time required to dry thebriquets; and afterward heating the briquets to the temperature requiredto liquefy and partially vaporize the resin and holding thenrat suchtemperature for the time required" to diffuse the resin throughout thebriquet.

18. The process of manufacturing artificial fuel comprising: gradingparticles of coal into a plurality of sizes such that when compressedtogether they will form a mass approximately free from voids; mixing thecoal particles with a substance exemplified by resin; moldto diffuse theresin throughout the ing the mass into briquets; artificially heatingthe briquets to a temperature below the melt- 4, vsmes a temperaturebelow the melting-point of the 7 In testimony whereofI aflix mysignature in {)esin and fog i'i he time:i gequired t:50 bdry the thepresence of two witnesses.

riquets'; an a terwar eating t 'e riquets i to the temperature requiredto liquefy and FREDERKK MEEKER' 5 partially vaporize the resin andholding them Witnesses:

at suchtempemture for the time required to GEOR E W. HARPER, J12,diffuse the resin throughout the briquet. HORACE D. BYRNES.

